General Motors today named Edward Kummer as chief digital officer, effective 16 October.
Kummer will be responsible for building and delivering a “holistic digital business” guided by GM’s growth strategy, leading a newly formed digital business team, and accelerating software investments that will redefine consumer expectations. He will report to president Mark Reuss.
Kummer was president of Nordstrom Rack’s online business and Nordstrom’s HauteLook brand, where he led an integrated online site and executed an omni-channel strategy, resulting in increased online sales and significant profit growth. He brings a breadth of expertise leading omni-channel, marketing and digital efforts across multiple industries that have digitally transformed for the benefit of the consumer and business growth, including travel, wealth management, consumer products, retail and entertainment.
“We are creating new digital experiences for our customers, both inside and outside of the vehicle, to enhance their lives and keep them connected to an increasingly digital world,” Reuss said. “As our business model evolves to reflect the vital role that software plays in our products and services, and the new opportunities it enables, Edward’s proven track record of digital and e-commerce expertise and leadership make him a huge asset for us. He’s done great work for companies known for superior customer experience, and we’re delighted to have him on our team.”
In his role, Kummer will be empowered to drive commercial success and strategic investments to establish digital market leadership. He will lead a dedicated digital team structured around GM’s digital lines of business, each with a dedicated commercial leader who will be accountable for all aspects of the operations. This integrated approach will connect value chains and capitalise on adjacencies, enabling GM to move faster and grow its digital business while remaining hyper-focused on speed of service to the customer.
“I am excited to leverage my digital expertise to create transformative experiences that will generate a lasting connection with the customer and foster a lifelong affinity to GM’s brands and products,” said Kummer. “As a car enthusiast, I have been admiring the calibre of GM’s vehicles. GM’s innovative platform and the immense growth opportunities are particularly inspiring to me.”
Kummer spent 18 years of his career at the Walt Disney Company in multiple strategic leadership roles, generating profitable results. After Disney, he led digital and e-commerce strategies for a variety of companies, including Victoria’s Secret and Luxottica, and served as chief marketing and digital officer for Oakley. Prior to joining Nordstrom, he was a managing director and chief marketing officer at Goldman Sachs.